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End of Year Newsletter 2022

20 December 2022

With 2022 drawing to a close, we look back at what has been a fantastic season and forward to what to expect in 2023

Looking back on 2022

2022 has been a great year. We have welcomed 390 young people aboard the Swan for 76 days of sail training activities, as well as undertaken a range of trips for the public and our community. The Trust also became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) and welcomed seven new Trustees who bring a wide range of skills to the board.

The Tall Ships Races 2022 were very successful, with Swan receiving awards for Most Welcoming Ship; Best in Crew Parade; and coming 3rd in class in race one; as well as our Skipper, Maggie Adamson, being named Sail Training International’s Sail Trainer of the Year.

We also welcomed aboard members of the public and our community including, sailing around the Western isles, St Kilda, Shetland and Orkney, family trips, themed weekends, a Sessions and Sail experience, a Word Play literary event, a photoshoot with Fair Isle Knitwear, and working with local groups such as Ability Shetland, Alzheimer’s Scotland and Moving On. Find out more about these activities here.

The feedback from all trips and charters has been incredible, which is testament to our Skipper Maggie and everyone who has helped her crew. Over 40 volunteers have helped crew the Swan this year, and many more have volunteered ashore. We would like to thank everyone for their time, skills and knowledge. We were also delighted one of our long standing volunteers, Ian Nicolson, received the Individual 2022 Marsh Volunteer Award from National Historic Ships.

We would also like to thank all our sponsors and funders for the support they provide every year, without whom we could not maintain and operate the Swan, including The Shetland Charitable Trust, Shetland Islands Council Coastal Communities Fund, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Zetland Educational Trust, ASTO, Peoples Postcode Trust, and many sponsors, including great support from Shetland’s pelagic fleet, as well as other fisheries and aquaculture related businesses.

Swan Skipper Maggie Adamson with Swan crew and 2022 Sail trainees with their Best in Crew Parade Trophy

Looking Forward to 2023

We are looking forward to a full sailing season next year including taking part in the Tall Ships Races, which will see Shetland host the races for a third time, and other youth sail training and community activities.

We also have trips on offer to the public, which are ready to book, including:

  • A 10 night trip from Shetland to Anstruther, exploring Shetland’s and Scotland’s historic and modern herring fisheries.
  • A North Sea Adventure from Anstruther, UK, to Den Helder, Netherlands
  • A 4 day sail exploring Shetland
  • A sessions and sail experience with local musician Barry Nisbet
  • Weekend sails around Shetland, and from Shetland to Orkney, as well as day sails from Lerwick and Walls
The Swan coming into Lerwick harbour under full sail

For details on all of our 2023 trips, check out our upcoming boat trips, and you can find further details on our 2022 activities on our news page.

You can also keep up to date by following us on Facebook and Instagram.

If you would like to help support Swan follow these links to book a trip, donate or volunteer with the Trust.

The Swan Trust would like to thank all its supporters, and wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Volunteer

Want to get involved in maintaining and operating a traditional wooden sailing vessel? There are a number of different ways you can volunteer to safeguard, care for and sail this unique heritage asset.

Learn more

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